Canadian cell phone consumers now have a hot new acrynim to learn, HSPA.
Following in Rogers footsteps, this week both Bell and Telus will launch thier own HSPA network.
HSPA which stands for High Speed Packet Access, allows mobile phones to download data at speeds up to 21 megabytes per second — speeds which are faster than many home connections.
Canada’s three large wireless ISPs are all now on board this new technology which promises to make smart phones more exciting and powerful.
“The future of wireless begins [Thursday],” said Joe Natale, senior vice-president at Telus. “If you look at the capabilities being offered to Canadians, it’s quite significant.”
Under ideal conditions, an mp3 file and can be downloaded almost instantly, a video can be played continuously without interruption and a heavy file, like a movie, is downloaded quickly.
The HSPA is not new, as Rogers (TSX: RCI.B), like other companies in the world, has had its network in service for some time.
Bell (TSX: BCE) and Telus (TSX: T) have however decided to launch their own HSPA network, enabling them to sell the popular iPhone device from Apple and other similar phones.
The new Bell network was put into operation Wednesday and that Telus will be Thursday.
Each of these companies now trying to convince the public that its HSPA service is the best.
Rogers says they offer the largest selection of phones compatible with HSPA on a network that has been proven.
“Rogers customers can select from an even greater [italics added] lineup of the latest wireless devices — the widest selection by far in Canada — with the introduction of new smart phones designed to keep Canadians connected on Canada’s most reliable network,” the company said in a released statement Wednesday.
Bell is promoting an option for video calls, which takes advantage of the high-speed connection, including an exclusive Facebook application that enables video calls between a user and a user cell phone.
Telus claims about it that its broad offer HSPA network for the first time Internet access to many residents of rural communities not served previously.
Personal computers and laptops can also connect to an HSPA network to enjoy high speed, but it is a more expensive option, especially for users who download lots of data and use lots of bandwidth.
Bell and Telus this week will launch new HSPA wireless networks. Both companies are proud to announce they will be launching four months earlier than expected.
Bell and Telus, increasingly inseparable, pass international standard HSPA +, fully compatible with GSM networks in over 200 countries. This is a first for them since they had until now favored the established systems from the CDMA standard, popular in North America, but virtually unknown elsewhere. This puts Bell and Telus in direct competition with Rogers and new players such as Videotron, which will launch its new network next spring. This migration also allows Bell and Telus to sell the hugely popular iPhone to their customers because this device is only available in HSPA.
Bell and Telus probably wanted to take advantage of the holiday season to offer the iPhone to their customers and retain them for the duration of the three-year contracts that accompany the purchase of this device. Bell and Telus also hope to take over all new consumers who are preparing to compete with established companies in the coming months. Bell will also benefit from the visibility it has as a sponsor of the Olympics in February to promote his new offer and take advantage of all the calls that will be between Vancouver and other countries.
All this is fine, but one thing eludes me entirely. Bell and Telus have chosen to offer tomorrow access to the network almost anywhere in Canada except Quebec and the Ottawa area to be served until the first quarter of 2010 by a slower HSPA network. The remote parts of northern Alberta or the coast of Newfoundland have access to the new ultra-fast network, but not us. I believe that it is precisely in Quebec, where competition is most intense with the arrival of Videotron in this market.
Since the appointment of George Cope at the helm, Bell seems like a player less lethargic and less defensive than with Michael Sabia. Bell became the owner of The Source stores and 750 stores will cease from January to sell subscriptions for Rogers and Videotron terminals in 150 branches in Quebec. They bought the half that did not belong to Virgin Mobile in Canada. Bell TV – formerly ExpressVu – I think also more dynamic in this market. In short, the old lion roars yet.
The old lion still must deal with a poor image. It’s clients made 1239 complaints last year to the Complaints Commissioner, substantially more than Rogers and Telus. Videotron, which makes life hard in Quebec has in turn generated only 72 complaints. Besides quality and network performance, it is here that early 2010 will be the tough battle to win the heart of Quebec.
Putting Quebec and Ottawa in the bottom of its priorities for the establishment of the new network does not appear to me a sign in the right direction.
The date is now set, it is Thursday, November 5 that Telus subscribers can opt for a 3G package and get an iPhone from Apple.
Connected to a three-year contract, the smartphone will be priced the same as Telus Rogers: $99 for the 8GB iPhone, $199 for the 3GS 16 GB and $ 299 for the 32GB of 3GS Prices packages have meanwhile not yet been disclosed.
On October 6, Telus and Bell, who share their infrastructure since 2001, had announced the arrival in November of smart phones from Apple in their windows. At the same time, the two operators had announced the deployment of HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) specific to the GSM network, joining the mobile network from Rogers.
Although adopting the 3G network across the Canadian Mobile progresses, it still has long lagged behind many countries where the fourth-generation LTE (Long Term Evolution), is already set.